Idiot Love
by Sir Alwick
Summary: Raven has finally realized she's in love with Beast Boy. The question is: what's she going to do about it?
1. Prologue

**_A/N:_**_ I'm not exactly sure where I'm heading with this story past the first few chapters but I really feel like posting something new, so...here goes nothing._

**Prologue**

The first time Raven fell in love did not come on the heels of any grand or highly emotional journey. There was no sobbing confession, no life or death situation that made her realize where her true feelings laid. There was no "other woman" with whom to suddenly and inexplicably become jealous over, and she never grabbed anyone and kissed them hard in a fleeting moment of passion. The truth is the act that led her to fall in love wasn't deeply romantic or even that extraordinary. The first time Raven knew for certain that she was in love it was a lazy Saturday afternoon in April. She had been in the common room, nestled in the cushions of the sofa and reading a rather gripping story when suddenly in entered Beast Boy, whistling his usual happy tune. She said not a word and he took no notice of her as he immediately began busying himself in the kitchen, gathering all the ingredients necessary for an FLT (Fake-bacon, lettuce and tomato) sandwich. At eighteen years old the beast was not quite the boy he once was. He wore his hair longer now, though it still stood up straight on the top of his head. He was taller, still the shortest member of the team but only by an inch or so, and his body had matured to the point where his physique even rivaled that of Robin's. During training one day she'd caught sight of him with his shirt off and immediately found herself wondering just where that scrawny boy she once knew had gotten all of those abs

Finishing his work in the kitchen he went to the sofa. With plate in hand he picked up the remote and was ready to turn on the television when he finally saw her. He "ooped" quietly but didn't speak. He smiled somewhat bashfully, put down the remote and instead picked one of several comic books stacked haphazardly on the cushion beside him and began to read.

…and that was it. That was Raven's epiphany moment. As silly and as anti-climactic as it was, in that moment and with that one simple act of polite consideration, Raven knew she no longer felt the same way about her green teammate as she did the day before. As Beast Boy quietly indulged himself in his garishly colored world of mutants and monsters, munging on a triangle of sandwich all the while, Raven suddenly felt more drawn to him than she ever had before. Her book, no longer quite as interesting as it once was, hid her face as out of the corner of her eye she silently studied the boy beside her. It surprised her to realize just how much the nature of their relationship had changed over the years. Beast Boy had always been a good friend if only a bit trying from time to time. He annoyed the crap out of her and never seemed to know when enough was enough, but by that same token had always been present to lend a friendly ear or a kind word during those rare moments when she really needed one. There were times where she wanted to strangle him, and yet somehow her forgiveness trumped her rage every time, and now she finally understood why.

The affection she had for him was more than friendly. It was love. Not the familial kind she had with Robin and Cyborg. No, it was much deeper than that. She knew now she didn't just love him; she was _in_ love with him. She had never been more certain of something in her life. It was then she saw what she had to do. Only one thought went through her mind. If the feelings she had for Beast Boy were in fact love, _true_ love...

...she had to destroy them.


	2. Chapter 1

The Jump University Performing Arts Center: the beautiful post-modern building lay in the heart of the city just down the street from the college and not far from the football stadium. A spacious and rather elegant structure, Raven had found herself a guest several times since moving to the city (Her most recent trip being for an all female version of Macbeth). As she had a particular fondness for its beautiful hard wood flooring and posh, convenient seating (There really wasn't a bad seat in the house) she often visited whenever she needed a night out by herself and the movie theater just wasn't enough.

At the moment the auditorium was filled to capacity. There was a dull murmur in the air as the crowd patiently waited for the show to begin. Suddenly the lights dimmed and all at once a gentle hush filled the room. The curtains rose and a finely dressed young woman was greeted by a gentle round of applause as she took center stage. At nineteen-years-old she looked ravishing, the very picture of grace and beauty. Her long violet hair shined and her magenta sequin gown shimmered in the spotlight.

As the audience applauded, Raven shifted somewhat uncomfortably in her seat. She had never been one for fancy dress and just the sight of the gown caused a swell of embarrassment in her chest. The thought occurred to her of taking a stand, to just bring the performance to a halt before it could even begin. The ground beneath her feet trembled ever so slightly as she leaned forward in her chair. Then the music started. The crowd applauded louder, and reconsidering her actions she instead sat back in her seat and once again attempted to get comfortable.

The song was a quiet, synthesized piano track, supported by a slow and pleasant bass line and backed by an even tempo'ed drum beat. Raven took a moment to recognize the tune then rolled her eyes as she slumped against the back of her chair and brought a palm to her face. She knew this sappy, cheesy, little tune (of course she did). She had heard the song once before during one of those music video countdown shows on TV, more specifically one dedicated to the supposed "Greatest" Love Songs: Past and Present. She now regretted having stayed and watched the whole thing. The applause subsided, and Raven watched as the woman smiled and brought the microphone to her lips.

"I'm gonna take a little time," she began, "A little time to look around me." The slight rasp in her voice served as a soulful compliment to the melody. "I've got nowhere left to hide. It looks like love has finally found me." The audience cheered at the line as she took the microphone from its stand and walked closer to the edge of the stage. "In my life there's been heartache and pain. I don't know if I can face it again. I can't stop now. I've traveled so far to change this lonely life."

It was actually the second verse in the song Not that anyone in the audience noticed the gaffe; they were smitten since the first note. There was a brief drum fill as the music swelled and the audience came alive once more. Making a fist and turning her head to the right, the beautiful singer belted the chorus with gusto. "I want to know what love is," she declared in perfect time. "I want you to show meeeeee. I want to feel what love iiiiiis. I know you can show meeeeee." The audience ate up every word, clapping and cheering as Raven could only sink further and further down in her chair, silently cursing her own impressive memory.

Three and a half minutes later the song came to a close. A choir of voices joined her as she finished the repeating chorus one final time. The moment the last note faded, the audience leapt to its feet. The house lights went up and from wall to wall everyone was standing. To the left and to the right, identically dressed patrons expressed their unbridled love for the performance and more specifically the performer herself. The singer smiled and bowed at the display as a multitude of green skinned men, all with the same green hair and fangs, applauded and whistled and whooped and hollered. Some threw flowers. Others held up signs declaring their adoration and still others simply shouted it as the singer waved and blew kisses from the end of the stage. A pair of pointy eared patrons beside Raven turned to each other, still continuing to clap. "Astounding," they said simultaneously, their voices in stereo. "A pulchritudinous vision of elegance and poise."

With her cheek in her palm Raven breathed an annoyed sigh. "Alright," she half whispered to herself. "That's enough." She stood and instantly the overwhelming sound of cheers and applause began to fade. Like the volume being turned down on a television set, the crowd's voices gradually diminished, becoming further and further away before finally vanishing after becoming little more than an echo. With but a tiny gesture from Raven the hard wood flooring forgot its own intrinsic properties and began to stretch like taffy, carrying dozen's of seats and theater-goers in either direction. In a mere instant a direct path to the stage was opened. With a calm and even gait Raven made her way down the newly formed aisle. With each step she took the auditorium continued to mutate. The silent patrons, who up until that point continued their raucous celebration despite the absence of sound, began to freeze in place one after another. Each row lost its livelihood as Raven passed. The color drained from their very bodies. Bright green skin dulled, becoming varying shades of gray, and in a matter of seconds the cheering audience was reduced to a sea of inanimate statues. Stopping just short of the stage, Raven's gaze fell to the singer. She folded her arms.

"It's time we had a talk."

The singer was the only one in the auditorium besides Raven to maintain her agency, though she gave almost no heed to the sudden change in her environment, choosing instead to lose herself in the delicate features of one of several long stem roses that had made its way to the stage during the applause. Much in the same way the auditorium had bent to Raven's will so too did the singer's appearance. Her beautiful sequin dress appeared to take on a life of its own. It's intricately stitched contours began to stretch and move away from her body, becoming flat and loose. A black leotard emerged from beneath the newly formed cloak as the material moved up to cover her shoulders, and a long beak-like hood settling atop her head complete the look. After taking a brief sniff of the flower, the singer let out a contented sigh.

"He looked at me again today," she said

Raven rolled her eyes. "We live in the same building," she replied bluntly. "It'd be hard to go a day where he didn't."

The woman on the stage did not seem to hear. Still studying the rose she answered, "I love it when he looks. It's like when he looks at me he sees me. He really sees me."

Raven pinched the bridge of her nose. Talking with these things was always a bit of a challenge. Raven may have had total control over the realm but the beings themselves, they were something else. As much as she would have liked to she couldn't simply bend them to her will. "That's generally how sight works," she answered with an annoyed sigh. "Now come on. I thought a few days of meditation would be enough to sort all this out but apparently you want to make things difficult. Sooooo….let's just get this over with."

The woman took another small sniff of the rose. "Let's go home," she said.

There was a small rumble, and one by one cracks began appearing in the walls and ceiling of the auditorium. Like miniature lightning strikes, the fissures spread, becoming larger and more intricate until the entire structure had the appearance of a department store puzzle. Soon the pieces along the ceiling began to fall away. Gravity was completely forgotten as large chucks of wood, plaster and concrete broke free and went soaring up into the sky, disappearing from sight. As the walls and ceiling went so too did the flooring near the rear section of the auditorium. Everywhere metal bolts surrendered their grip and one after another red cushioned chairs went soaring. Long sections of hard wood paneling followed until finally there was nothing left but the stage and Raven's small section of floor in front of it, floating in an endless sea of clouds.

xxxxx

When Raven was twelve, she was granted a special tool by the monks of Azarath, a mirror, specially tailored to her own particular spiritual wave length, that when gazed into would serve as a gateway into her very psyche. For years, Raven used the mirror to explore the deepest parts of herself, to delve the furthest recesses of her soul in search of truth and understanding. Initially, understanding was the only gift it offered, but over time the object's true power was revealed. With a bit of practice Raven found she was actually able to use the mirror to create order within herself, to structure her thoughts and emotions in a way that allowed her to function and coexist with the people around her. For someone such as Raven, for whom too much emotion ultimately lead to pain and destruction, this was an invaluable discovery. With the mirror's help Raven had, to the best of her ability, created a sort of order to the chaotic existence that was human emotion.

And truly there is nothing more wild and untamed in all the universe than human emotion. Raven's first encounter with her own was overwhelming to say the least. While exploring her memories she stumbled upon a sort of cosmos, a seemingly infinite black void. It was here that she found them. They were little more than swirling torrents of otherworldly energy, long streaks of colored light painting the solid black canvas in various shades of pink and purple and yellow and red. Their energy was infinite and unyielding. Like children they danced and played, swirling, spinning and spiraling, sometimes by themselves but often with each other, never staying in one place even for a moment, creating a never-ending light show the likes of which no human had ever seen. In a way it was beautiful, but in another way it was terrifying. Raven had worked hard her entire life to maintain control of her emotions, but seeing them like this she realized just how little she had accomplished. If she were to know any peace in her life, she would need to find a way to reign them in. Gathering her courage, one day she entered the void with the intent to do just that. Seeing that the pink streak was isolated from the others she raced towards it. Interestingly, the glowing streak seemed to sense her presence as she approached. It circled for a moment then like a wild animal evading a predator it fled in the opposite direction. Undaunted, Raven gave chase. Reaching for it, she grabbed hold of the being's tail, but the crafty emotion wriggled free. Chasing after it, Raven reached for it again, this time grabbing it around the middle. Like a sea serpent it contorted its body out of her grasp and went zigzagging across the void. Growling in frustration, Raven dove for it once more. With both hands she seized control. The pink streak fought desperately to escape, but this time there was no getting away. Raven clutched the struggling emotion to her chest. The pink streak glowed brighter as it continued to fight, but still she held firm. Then all at once there was a brilliant flash, and suddenly she found her hands were empty. Looking down she saw a brilliant pink light emanating from the center of her chest. Acting almost on instinct she covered it with her palm. She could feel it's warmth, and when she pulled her hand away she found the light went with it. An incandescent sphere about the size of a softball now rested comfortably in her palm. Transfixed, Raven studied the sphere for a moment, before summoning her nerve and gently poking it with her finger. The sphere yielded effortlessly to her touch, leaving an imprint. Taking the object in both hands she ever so slightly contracted her fingers and began to pull from either side. Like a sculptor with a piece of clay she began molding and shaping it. It was in this way that she created her first manifestation.

xxxxx

The plan from the beginning was always to keep things simple. Physically, each manifestation was made to be Raven's exact duplicate, to age with her and always appear as she was at that particular moment in time. Vanity had no place in this decision. She simply found an elegant truth in it. These were all facets of her personality; each one was in a sense _her, _so she figured they may as well look like her. It would also help give her a sense of unity with them. The only notable distinction she made when creating them came in their apparel. Each manifestation wore a color to identify them with the emotion they represented. Pink for her happiness, Grey for her timidity and so forth. Once done, she built a world for each manifestation to dwell. Nothing extravagant, simply what they needed to be content. Happy liked to play so she got a playground complete with a sandbox and jungle gym. Timidity only wanted to hide so she was granted a maze. These worlds were meant to allow each manifestation a certain freedom of movement, the idea being that they could express themselves inside so as not to intrude on her life outside. For years the technique worked to perfection.

It was shortly after Beast Boy's and Cyborg's impromptu trip through the portal, however, that things began to take a bizarre turn. The manifestation were changing, acting on their own, almost as if they were becoming individuals. They began making alterations to themselves and to their environments all without any input from Raven. Brave, the manifestation cloaked in green and who represented Raven's more brazen, more outgoing side, began to fancy herself the prototypical superhero, evolving her appearance to be taller and more physically fit. Her sleeveless leotard showed off her bulging biceps and well toned calf muscles and a completely unnecessary hole in the tummy highlighted a perfect six pack of abs. Happy, Raven's joyous fun loving side, chose to adorn the hood of her costume with big floppy bunny ears with matching slippers to boot. She was the jokester of Raven's psyche with a functioning arsenal of joy buzzers, whoopee cushions, fake vomit, a big plastic butt prosthetic, everything a hacky comedian could ask for. On and on it went like this. Each one of Raven's emotions found new ways to define themselves completely independent of Raven's influence.

Not that it was any reason to worry. They were no more beyond control then they were before and it wasn't as if they were trying to escape or take over her mind or anything similar. It did however mean Raven needed to be a bit more creative when it came to reigning them in.

And then there was Passion, Raven's more loving, more nurturing side and the part of her that got her into more trouble than any other manifestation (even her Anger).

Passion was not content to stand idly by. Passion demanded attention; she demanded freedom of expression. She wanted the whole world to know she existed.

Passion...

...was an artist.

xxxxx

The clouds faded and Raven quickly found herself on the threshold to Passion's domain, a solid oak doorway with finely polished brass handles. Floating her way up, she grabbed hold of the handles and pulled. There was a brilliant flash of light and suddenly she was inside.

While certainly grandiose, the performance in the auditorium was in reality just a mild fantasy and hardly the extent of Passion's expression. The manifestation's true residence was an art gallery, one impossibly long and luxuriously furnished hallway, generously decorated with all manner of sculptures and paintings. In the beginning the subjects of such works varied. Right by the door, along the wall hung a grand six foot wide landscape of Raven's homeworld of Azarath, a great city with giant stone spires, floating forever in a sea of clouds. Just beyond that stood a tall marble statue of Raven's teacher, the high-priestess Metrion. With her head held high and her robes caught mid flow she looked down upon Raven with tender and welcoming eyes. Another statue followed. Slightly smaller than the one of Metrion, it showed a hooded woman with a chakra similar to Raven's standing with her hands folded in front of her, her face a strange mixture of love and sadness. Next came a painting of a young black haired girl with vibrant blue eyes. The maroon colored robes she wore said she was a student at the temple of Azarath. With a warm smile she offered the viewer a single white flower.

As Raven continued to walk through the gallery, more recent works opened up to her. Pieces featuring her friends and fellow Titans became the norm. There was a rather silly looking one of Robin and Starfire with cartoon like proportions (short statured with big 'aww' inspiring eyes and cherub-like cheeks) playing leapfrog in the middle of a grassy meadow. A big impressive metal-work of Cyborg with his beloved T-car followed as well as a statue of Robin standing in the traditional hero pose with hands on hips, and an elegant water color of Starfire soaring through space.

Raven continued along her path for several minutes, observing each new piece as she went. It wasn't long, however, before a thought occurred. Strangely she saw no works of Beast Boy. There were pieces featuring Bumble Bee, Speedy, Argent, Pantha, Aqualad, Mas and Menos and yet she had not come across a single painting, sculpture or high concept exhibit starring her green skinned companion. She was puzzled by this until she heard a noise, a sort of dull 'tink tink tinking' that pulled her attention from the works before her to a section of hallway not supported by light. Looking past the darkness she glimpsed a door and moving forward she opened it. Immediately everything became clear. On all sides of her she beheld Beast Boy in every manner of artistic being. Dozens of green faces peered down and across and up at her from all corners of the room, and there in the center, standing atop a fifteen foot step ladder and chiseling away at an absolutely massive piece of marble was Passion. Her violet cloak now a violet smock, the manifestation's gaze briefly left her work to meet Raven's.

"You're just in time," she called from the top of the ladder. "I'm nearly finished. My greatest work yet." Carefully placing her chisel, she raised her hammer and gave the gigantic marble block one last delicate 'tink.' All at once the corners and edges crumbled away, disappearing into nothingness and leaving a human form in their wake. It was the most detailed and impressive work so far, and of course, much the same as the others, Beast Boy was the star. "What do you think?" asked Passion after a moment.

"Well," said Raven after giving the piece a once over. "It's big."

In truth the statue itself, while certainly a work of art, was not exactly accurate. A David-esque piece, standing tall with muscles and pecs and (literally) chisled good looks, it reeked of idealism. Beast Boy was attractive, but not a supermodel. He was fit, but this was godlike. Taking a second look around the room, Raven realized that many of the other pieces were done in much the same way, depicting Beast Boy not as he really was but as some idealized version, and all at once a realization hit. She thought she had fallen for Beast Boy, but in fact she had simply fallen for an idea of him. This hard chinned adonis with the million dollar smile and the come hither stare her Passion had created was clearly just a hodge-podge of all the different guys she'd had feelings for in her life. The good looks of Aqualad, the relate-ability of that black haired guy she met at the club that one time, and so on and so forth. He simply wore Beast Boy's face because for all his faults the green boy had always been trustworthy (Trust being something she did not give out freely). It was all so clear to her now. She wanted a guy _like_ Beast Boy, not Beast Boy himself. The plain, simple logic was refreshing and caused Raven to breath a sigh of relief.

"Okay," she began after a moment. "Let's get something clear." She snapped her fingers and in an instant Passion was standing before her. Taking the manifestation by the shoulders she turned her so that she was once again looking at the statue. "This right here...? Isn't Beast Boy." Snapping her fingers again, she materialized another massive marble block, identical to the first one, right beside it. She snapped at it with a tendril of black energy and in an instant a far more accurate depiction of the green Titan crumbled into existence, complete with long skinny arms and legs, an upturned snout of a nose and that one awkward little fang that was always sticking out his lip. "This..." declared Raven, pointing. "This is Beast Boy." Do you understand?" She waved her hand and out of nothingness a 12x5 canvas formed in her hand. A paintbrush appeared in the other, and in one quick stroke a photorealistic image took shape on the solid white material depicting Beast Boy sitting on the couch, fast asleep amid a sea of empty potato chip bags and soda cans. He had grease on his face and drool on his lip. A still on Gamestation controller rested in his hands. "_This_ is Beast Boy," she said holding up the painting. She made another stroke and a new image appeared, one of the green changeling shrieking in terror at the sight of Cyborg surprising him with a cheesy Halloween mask. "_This_ is Beast Boy..." she said again. Another stroke and this time Beast Boy was sitting on his bed using his teeth to chew off one of his toenails. Raven gagged a little at the sight of her own conjured up memory as swallowing she declared one last time with emphasis, "THIS is Beast Boy."

Raven didn't think she could have made her point any more succinct, and yet the moment she looked up from the canvas she found Passion missing. Quickly scanning the area, she saw that the manifestation was actually busy hanging the would-be-sobering portraits on the wall, still looking enamored as ever and even giggling a bit at the toenail chewing antics of the last one. She could hardly believe it. Unfortunately she had been mistaken. These feelings were far more deep-rooted than she initially imagined. They could not be talked or reasoned away, and as such she now saw that much more drastic measures would have to be taken.

**A/N:** The song Passion performs is "I Want to Know What Love Is" by Foreigner


	3. Chapter 2

When you're raised by a group of sorcerer monks on a mostly secluded plain of existence whose residents view you as the offspring and therefore complete embodiment of ultimate evil there really isn't much else to do besides read. Raven found this out for herself first hand. She read her first complete sentence at two years old and her first 1000 page tome at five. Whenever she got a free moment, in between school and meditation sessions with High Priestess Metrion, she'd read. Anything she could get her hands on was fair game. Her mother, wanting to encourage her in this, provided her with whatever she could find, including books from the human world. From massive hardcovers like "A Tale of Two Cities" and "Crime and Punishment" to quaint paperback novellas like "Of Mice and Men," Raven consumed it all. As she grew older her reading comprehension evolved to a point where she could dust off five hundred pages in an afternoon. In school she found herself far ahead of the rest of the class. This endeared her somewhat to her professors but only alienated her even further from her classmates, but by that point she didn't care. She found the characters in her books far more interesting and likable than anyone in the real world. They were wise, courageous, noble and complex. Why would she need anyone else?

After nearly nineteen years in existence, and with sixteen of those years spent reading, Raven had amassed herself quite the library. The majority of it was kept on shelves in her bedroom. She made certain her favorite works of fiction were out in the open for easy access, but her most important contributions were kept just out of sight in a little corner towards the back wall, tucked away in a six foot wide nook. It was here where she kept her spell books.

xxxxx

For several days Raven spent every waking moment of her free time in her bedroom, pouring through her library, looking for something that might aid her in her 'love' problem. With each new page, each new chapter she hoped for the best. She needed something that could change her, alter her perception. Nothing drastic. Just something powerful enough to eliminate the more romantic feelings she had for Beast Boy. So far her journey had proved fruitless. She'd found dozens of passages concerning things like transmutation, memory conversion, cognitive awareness alteration, etc... It was all so painfully close but everything fell just shy of being something she could actually use.

She had just finished pouring through the latter half of a thick and ultimately unhelpful text when a familiar presence greeted her senses, proceeded by a gentle knocking at her door. For a moment she did nothing, only sat and stared at the sealed entryway. There came another small knock, and finally she got to her feet. She went to the door and, with a few taps on the security panel, opened it.

As expected, Beast Boy was on the other side.

"Hey Raven," he greeted warmly with a big dopey grin.

"Morning," she answered, her greeting somewhat more curt than she intended.

Getting the impression that he was interrupting something, he spoke quickly. "Hey, uh, Robin and Star cut out for the afternoon, and me and Cy were just about to go to the arcade, and we were wondering if you wanted to come with."

Looking at the green guy's adorable little face it took all of Raven's self control to answer, "No, thank you," and "I'll just keep an eye on things here."

There was a trace amount of disappointment in Beast Boy's eyes as he smiled and said, "Oh okay. Sure. Well, we'll be there for most of the day, so if you change your mind feel free to come on down."

Raven gave a small nod, said, "Will do," and slowly went to close the door.

Beast Boy had taken only two and half steps away before he very suddenly turned back. "Hey, uh, Rave?" he called just before the Raven's door was completely sealed.

"Yes?" Raven answered, a little taken back by the sudden outburst.

"So I know you know all this stuff already, but...I mean I guess I'll say it again just in case. You know you don't have to deal with everything by yourself, right? If there's something bothering you, even if it's just something small and stupid or whatever, you can come talk to us. We're all right here. Even me." He smiled and pointed to each of his large and pointy ears. "Ears like these were made for listening. Know what I mean?"

Raven had to pull herself back into the darkness of her room in order to hide the obvious redness flourishing on her cheeks. "I know," she answered. "Thank you, Beast Boy."

Beast Boy gave a small wave and then continued on his way as Raven quickly slid the door shut behind her.

The warmth in her stomach told her all she needed to know. In her minds eye she could see her "Passion" doing backflips and cartwheels. No doubt this would be the next piece to go up in her art exhibit, and honestly Raven couldn't blame her. It was a nice moment. She lived for moments like these, moments that were honest and genuine and let her know she was cared for. And this warm feeling in her stomach, this quiet and gentle longing, she had to admit it felt nice. Meandering across the floor of her bedroom, she couldn't help but wonder if she were really doing the right thing. It was then, looking up she caught sight of a framed photograph hanging on her wall. It was a group shot of her and the rest of the Titans, all smiling and looking happy (even her) on the rocky shore of their island as their newly completed Tower loomed tall and mighty in the background. She looked at Beast Boy. He was leaning behind her, smiling and holding up two fingers behind her head, giving her bunny ears. Seeing that photo and remembering that day Raven suddenly knew the solution to her problem.

She did need help. But not from anyone here.

Standing in front of her bookcase Raven ultimately realized she did not have the knowhow or the resources to accomplish her goals. She would need the help of those far more experienced than her in the world of spells and incantations. If she wanted to put things back the way they were, return things to normal, she would need to go to market.

xxxxxx

Start by going east down Belle St for about half a mile. Take a right on Madison and keep going until you get to the Mooby's on the corner. Take the first left after Mooby's then go straight for another mile and a half. On your left will be a little block of stores. Wedged in between a sandwich shop and an insurance agency there'll be a quaint little antique shop, _Forgotten Treasures_. Go inside and you'll find a grandfatherly looking type with a big bushy mustache sitting behind the oak wood counter. He'll say, "Good Evening," and "How can I help you on this fine day?" Tell him "No thanks. I'm just passing through." Then open the door and leave. You'll come to a hallway. Just follow the signs. When you get to the doorman, don't forget to sign in (a simple soul scan will suffice). Make sure to close the doors behind you.

Welcome and please enjoy your visit to _Calebog's Market for Mystiks. _

It was a lot to go through but well worth it for the kinds of spells and rarities one could find. Calebog's was one stop shopping for all manner of magic users. The set up was not unlike a bazaar with rows and rows of vendors all packed tightly together, looking to sell their wares. Dozens and dozens of tables and tents assembled along cobblestone streets under the leafy purple and red canopy of several strategically planted moongate trees. Raven had a sort of love/hate relationship with Calebog's. It was the go-to marketplace for all the powders, potions and rare ingredients she needed for her incantations, but the crowds... On any given day the traffic at Calebog's was comparable to a mid-December Saturday at the Jump City Mall. Beings from all over attended Calebog's. All manner of wizards, witches and warlocks elbowing each other out of the way in order to get a better look at the deals; Trolls and ogres stomping around like they owned the place; Elves and gnomes skittering underfoot just looking for a chance to snatch some loose coins: The whole scene gave her a headache. Still she would grit her teeth and bare it, same as always. Much like everybody else.

For the record it should be mentioned that according to the High Council of Trans-Dimensional Witchcraft and Wizardry love potions were for all intents and purposes illegal as were most emotion manipulating spells, however that didn't stop some vendors from finding some creative legal loopholes in order to serve their means. The fact that Raven was here to potentially take advantage of that was not lost on her and she was more than willing to admit it was not one of her finest moments, but alas, she was desperate. Regardless, her hope of actually finding someone or something that would help her was growing dim. Twelve shops in and she was no closer to getting what she needed. She was tired and cranky, sick to death of sliver-tongued merchants shoving "moderately priced" manticore tails in her face and pitching their latest concoction for warding off wendigos. She needed a break.

Finding a small secluded area away from the hustle and bustle of the street she took a seat upon a large overturned cauldron. Removing her boots she began massaging her feet, running her palm from the ball to the heel and digging her fingers in between her toes. First one foot then the other. Leaning back on her palms she took a breath as she let the warm air run free over her sore and sweaty appendages. After sitting like that for something close to a minute, she gave her toes one final wriggle then slid them back into her boots. She got to her feet then immediately spun on her heels. With a wave of her hand a tendril of dark energy shot forth, cutting through the air like a shot.

xxxxx

Five or six shops into her trip Raven suddenly got the feeling something was watching her. She wrote it off at first but as time went on she became more and more convinced that she was being followed. It took some time, but she at long last found the perfect opportunity to make her move. The black energy tendril shot forth from beneath her cloak. Acting as an extension of her hand it attempted to grab hold of her pursuer who at first glance appeared small and certainly not human. She made a few more blind grabs before the sound of a voice calling out to her stayed her hand.

"Woah, woah, easy now, darling," it said with an odd reverb. "I'm only here to help."

Ceasing her onslaught, Raven was able to fully take in the sight of the object that had been tailing her for the past half hour. It was small, indeed no bigger than a softball, and appeared by all accounts to be nothing more than a mirror. It floated comfortably in the air with support from a pair of white feathered wings (something similar to a dove's) and a strange green light appeared to emanate from its flat, streak free surface.

"Who are you?" called Raven with a hard glare and a dark, glowing hand. "Why have you been following me?"

"Easy now, my little moonbeam," tutted the mirror, it's glass face flashing bright green with each word it spoke. "There's no need for such hostility. I simply wish to offer my services."

"And what services would those be?"

The mirror floated gently closer as it spoke. "I've been observing you. You have a most unusual problem, that I think I may be able to help you with. Why don't you come to my shop so we can have a little chat. Just follow the looking glass. It'll show you the way." With that, the mirror took off flying in the opposite direction, leaving a green light trail just faint enough to see behind it.

Raven had to admit she was intrigued. She hesitated for a moment then, perhaps ignoring her better judgement, quickly followed.

xxxxx

The looking glass moved with surprising swiftness, traveling up and down corridors and in and out of archways. It lead Raven away from the heart of Calebog's to a small and very unassuming, tan-colored tent set up at the very edge of the marketplace, just out of sight from any prying eyes. It defied any sense or logic to be so far removed from the customers, and Raven had to admit the whole thing screamed of set up, but still she pressed onward. Summoning all her courage and still keeping very much on her guard, she approached the tent. Summoning her powers she opened the flap from a distance then slowly made her way inside.

When Raven first viewed the tent's interior, the first thing she felt was disappointment. After so much buildup, she really expected something more. Really, there appeared to be nothing more than the usual trinkets one could find at a dozen other shops in the marketplace. There were table tops covered in basic see-er stones and shelves full of various sundries and tinctures. Potions for curing ailments and talisman's for heightening one's spiritual awareness. Everything was standard. Nothing really that exceptional. As it was the only thing that really stood out was the shop owner herself.

Appearing to be a woman in her early thirties, she stood something close to six and a half feet tall. She had long dark green hair that flowed freely to the middle of her back. Her skin was pale with black tiger strips hugging her cheeks from front to back and her eyes were a strange mixture of green and yellow. Her dress was full body, covering her from neck to toe. The bottom of her dress split in various places to form something that looked like tentacles and when she walked she seemed to glide as though she were not even touching the ground.

"Greetings, my darling little moonbeam," the woman said, her voice low and husky. "I'm so glad you came."

"I'm not," answered Raven, curtly. "No offense, but it doesn't look like you have anything to offer that I haven't seen everywhere else."

At that the woman only smiled. "Now, now, you're so quick to judge. Sometimes in order to see the truth, you need to take a second look."

The woman placed a hand on Raven's shoulder and gently spun her around so that she was now facing the entrance to the shop. Raven rolled her eyes at first, but then suddenly found herself overwhelmed with shock and awe. Seemingly out of nowhere, the entire layout of the shop had changed. All the usual junk was replaced by objects and items that were beyond even Raven's comprehension. Stones that glinted and glittered with unfathomable beauty lined each table. The shelves were stocked with all manner of strange antiquities. Even the shop itself had changed. The dirt floor was replaced by elegant hardwood. The overhead lamps were replaced by shimmering crystal. The plain, tan-colored tent was now an ornately decorated piece of architectural accomplishment. Raven was completely at a loss for words.

The woman, observing Raven's slack-jawed expression, let loose with a hearty laugh. "You like that?" she asked. "Just a little trick of the senses I like to use. Helps keep out the riffraff."

Raven took in the various wonders of the shop before she regained her composure enough to speak. "Who are you?" she asked finally.

"Madame Yvonne," replied the woman with a small bow. "At your service."

"And you can help me?"

The newly dubbed Madame gave a knowing grin and gestured to Raven to follow. She headed to the back of the store, to a turtleshell countertop. "I took notice of you as soon as you arrived. I could tell right away you were exceptional."

"Is that so?"

"Indeed. I pride myself on having an **_eye_** for talent. I'll only share my abilities with those who are truly deserving."

"I don't know how deserving I am."

Madame Yvonne ducked under the counter. The shuffling sound of metal and wood could be heard as she replied, "Nonsense. I know what you seek, moonbeam, and I consider it an entirely worthwhile endeavor." She popped back up from the counter with a small wooden bowl and a bucket full of nondescript bottles and bags. "You love someone, don't you?"

Raven's face flushed.

"It's okay," continued Madame Yvonne. "You can say it."

Raven bowed her head so that her hair hung in her eyes. "Yes," she answered with a small sigh.

"But you don't want to."

"It...it's not that I don't _want_ to...exactly...but..."

"But's it's just not something you want to be dealing with right now. Darling I get it. Trust me I do. Love is a wonderful, amazing emotion when it's convenient, but sometimes it's just like, ugh, who needs it? If only we could chose when and where it happens."

"Love potions are illegal," said Raven suddenly, her conscience quickly getting the better of her.

"Right you are," answered Madame Yvonne. "So what _you_ need is an _anti_-love potion."

The word struck Raven like a slap in the face. An anti-love potion. Yes. That was it. That was exactly what she was looking for.

Without another word, Madame Yvonne popped open the corks on two large bellied potion bottles with her thumbs and poured the contents into the bowl. She undid the tie on a small bag and tossed a handful of what appeared to be little rodent feet into the brew where they quickly dissolved. For about a minute she worked like that. Adding a pinch here and a drop there of all manner of strange ingredients before finishing with a vigorous stir. When she was done she carefully poured the contents of the bowl (now a bright, almost glowing, pink liquid) into a fancy, diamond shaped glass vial. Holding the object between her thumb and index finger she returned her attention to Raven.

"This here will fix you right up. A brew of my own design. I call it _Honeymoon's End_. Picture the object of your no longer desire in your minds eye and then bottom's up. You'll take yourself a little nap and when you wake up all those pesky feelings you have for the poor schlub will be gone." She extended the vial to Raven, implying that she should take it.

Raven's eyes were fixed on the potion. She was captivated by it. With only slight hesitation she took the potion from Madame Yvonne's hand. Turning the small vial over in her palm she watched as the liquid inside bubbled and fizzed. This was it, she could feel it. This was the solution to her problem. Only one question remained.

"How much?" asked Raven tentatively.

The look on Madame Yvonne's face was one of utmost sincerity. "Take it," she said with a soft smile. "It's a gift."

Raven was touched by the offer. "Really?" she said.

Madamme Yvonne's reply was to let out a very unladylike snort and burst into raucous laughter. "No," she finally answered. "Darling, I'm trying to run a business here. I can't just go peddling my wares free of charge to every Harry Hard-Luck and Sally Sob-Story that comes waltzing through. A gift? Really?" She broke out into another fit of laughter.

Raven, clearly not amused by the charade, folded her arms and glared at the laughing woman. Finally finding a space in between guffaws, she again asked, "How much?"

Wiping a comical tear from her eye, Madame Yvonne let out a satisfied sigh and answered, "How much you got on you?"

Retrieving her coin purse from the pocket of her cloak, Raven emptied a handful of Azarathean coins (Part of a trust set up by her mother and High Priestess Metrion) out into her palm. Before she even had time to count them, they were snatched away by Madame Yvonne.

"Eh, that looks like enough," said the woman, turning the coins over in her palm for a beat before magically manifesting her own coin purse out of thin air and stuffing them inside. "Now, that potion's got an expiration date on it. For the best results I really recommend drinking it tonight just before you go to bed."

Ravne nodded then placed the vial in her pocket. She then turned and headed for the exit. She was just about to leave when she heard Madame Yvonne say, "Have a nice day." Raven went to reply, but by the time she turned her head it was too late. The woman and the store were both already gone.


	4. Chapter 3

_What a great idea._

_..._

_Really._

_..._

_This is absolutely a great idea. _

_..._

_How could it not be? One little potion and...poof...problem solved. And this is a problem that **needs** solving._

_..._

_This is such a great idea._

_..._

_Why shouldn't I trust her? I couldn't detect any maliciousness coming from her. If her intention was to hurt me I'd know. I'd have sensed it._

_..._

_Okay so I haven't had a perfect success rate but..._

_..._

_That was years ago. My skills have improved. I **don't** fall for traps. Negative emotions are easy to detect._

_..._

_So her methods were a bit odd. Calebog's is an odd place. For the love of Azar, if we're being totally honest here, **I'm** odd. _

_..._

_She's a businesswoman. She's just looking to sell her wares like anyone else. And I was just one more in a long line of customers. It's as simple as that._

_..._

_This is such a great idea._

xxxxxx

It was Raven's belief that every important decision needn't require anything more than total silence. A chance to sit and listen to one's intuition. Ever since she had returned from Calebog's she'd been turning things over in her head. She'd gone out on an emergency call and had dinner with her friend's at their favorite pizza place, but the entire time, even as she battled alongside Robin, idly chatted with Starfire (avoided eye contact with Beast Boy) and shared a slice with Cyborg, her mind was buzzing. The potion, Beast Boy, Madame Yvonne, Beast Boy, the past, the potion, Beast Boy, the future, the potion. The potion. Her feelings. Everything was a jumbled mess. A thick black soup from which she was unable to extricate herself. It was then such a relief to finally get home. To at long last return to the solitude of her bedroom. To sit in familiar surroundings and examine things.

For about an hour, sitting quietly and cross-legged on her bed, she meditated. Asking questions, providing answers, debating the only opponent worth debating.

This is such a great idea.

Eyes snapped open as Raven awoke from her meditative state. Moving swiftly she made her way to her dresser. Opening the top drawer, pushing aside a few pairs of socks, she found the potion. The pink liquid inside had not lost it's ethereal glow. She could almost feel it, a kind of strange warmth working it's way through the diamond shaped glass casing. With a deep breath she gripped the cork between her thumb and index finger. One light tug, an audible pop and the vial was open. Almost immediately a strangely sweet aroma came wafting up from the vial's contents, kissing and licking her nose like a tongue made of candy. The scent was so alluring she actually found her mouth watering at the thought of experiencing such a taste. Swallowing nervously she closed her eyes and thought of Beast Boy.

She thought of his sweet, infectious smile and his funny, little, scratchy voice. She thought of his annoying but still somehow adorable giggle and disarming, green eyes. She thought of all the times they argued and fought, how no matter how bad things became they still made up afterwards. Of his fumbling apologies. Of his genuine nature. Of his kind words and encouraging attitude. Of how much she used to loath him and how much he used to complain about her when he thought she wasn't listening. Of how despite everything they somehow managed to still have fun together. And how even though he drove her absolutely crazy sometimes, he was still one nicest guys she'd ever known and one of the best friends she ever had.

She thought of this and with one last, calming breath, she drank.

xxxxxx

Two things became immediate apparent about the potion as soon as it passed over Raven's lips and splashed down her esophagus. The first was that it was far more palatable than she anticipated it being. It's flavor was something akin to cherry/apple soda. Astoundingly sweet and with a fizz that caused the entirety of her mouth to tingle as though thousands of tiny feet were having a dance party on her tongue. The second realization? That this was some really good s#!t. As fast as you could say, "That wasn't so bad," a powerful dizzy spell seized hold of her, and suddenly it was as if her head weighed two hundred pounds. Weird shapes and colors flooded her senses as the world around her twisted and spun. Struggling to stand up straight, she dropped the vial. On shaky knees she used her book cases for guidance as she stumbled her way to her bed, where she crashed against the mattress. Her eyelids fell and the world turned black.

xxxxxx

Raven awoke to the discomforting feeling of sunlight on her eyelids. From her tangled mess of covers she arose. Like a morning after drunk she sat, slightly hunched, head full of needles, stomach full of spiders, eyes struggling for clarity. For several moments she struggled to remember the previous day. Then, upon spying the empty vial still lying on the floor, it all came flooding back to her. In a flash she recalled the marketplace, Madame Yvonne and the potion. Just like the sorceress had said, she'd taken the potion and had her sleep. Now the only question was whether or not it worked, if she had really been cured.

It turned out to be far later in the morning than Raven had realized as, in a very uncharacteristic moment, she was the last Titan to enter the kitchen for breakfast. As soon as the doors opened she was greeted with the sight of her teammates scattered about the kitchen. The stove sizzled and hissed with cooking food and all four voices were chattering at once. Everything seemed normal. More importantly, and at least for the moment, everything _felt_ normal. Starfire was the first to greet her, offering a hearty good morning, asking her how she slept, the usual. Robin, ever the observant one, recognized her lateness in rising and asked her if she was alright. She said she was fine and then made her way to the fridge, where Cyborg offered her breakfast (a collection of various meats topped with eggs). Then came the moment of truth. Beast Boy, sliding his way into the conversation and effectively placing himself between her and Cyborg's meat extravaganza, greeted her with a smile.

"Mmmmoorning Raven," he said, his voice dripping with stylistic confidence. Balancing a platter on one hand he held it out to her, placing it under her nose. "Look what I got for you this fine morning. Yummy, delicious, vegan friendly blueberry pancakes. Mmm, mmm, mmm. Come on, forget Cyborg's carnival of death. Sit down and have a stack. What do you say?"

Looking past the fluffy stacks of white and brown, Raven's eyes peered into Beast Boy's. For several seconds she stared long and hard, just waiting to feel the heat in her cheeks, the butterflies in stomach, and all the other cliches that nevertheless become so very, very true once you experience them for yourself. She stood there, staring at him, and waited. And waited. Seconds passed. Long enough for things to become awkward.

"Uhh, Raven?" said Beast Boy after a beat. He waved his hand back and forth in front of her eyes. "You okay."

She felt okay. But she needed to be sure. "Do me a favor," she said suddenly.

"Ooookaaay," answered Beast Boy, still somewhat confused.

Raven waved her hand and a small portal about the width of a basketball appeared beside her. She reached her arm elbow deep inside and when she pulled it back brought with it a pair of gold rimmed, aviator sunglasses with blue tinted lenses.

"Put these on," she said, offering them to Beast Boy.

Still holding the pancake platter in one hand, the green boy reached for the sunglasses. Fumbling with them for a moment, he then slid them onto his nose. "Okay, now what?" he asked.

"Now say, 'How you doin,' mama?" she answered. Despite her strange request, her tone was just as dry and unassuming as it ever was.

Beast Boy's eyebrows arched in confusion. He turned and looked at Cyborg who only offered a bewildered shrug in response. Not knowing what else to do, he simply did as he was told. Shrugging his shoulders, he looked back at Raven. "Uhh, how you doin,' mama?" he said stiffly.

Not satisfied, Raven rolled her eyes and barked, "Like you mean it."

Her outburst made him jump, but the green boy was quick to recover. Grinning like a bon vivant, he tilted his head, pulled the glasses down slightly so that his emerald eyes peered over the rims. "How you doin,' mama? he asked again, this time with feeling. He even added a little wink for good measure.

Relief flooded Raven's insides. Nothing. She felt absolutely nothing. There was nothing attractive about Beast Boy in the slightest. Such an act would have been a knockout punch right to the feels the day before, but now, honestly it just looked silly. She even felt she might have been a little annoyed by it. How wonderful.

"Alright then," said Raven, after breathing a small sigh of relief. "Sure, I'll try some pancakes."

She then turned and headed for the table, leaving both Beast Boy and Cyborg to stared dumbfounded for a few moments, until Cyborg's breakfast started to burn and effectively heaved everyone back into reality.

For the remainder of the day Raven didn't worry about anything else. She really felt like her old self again. She read. She trained. She fought crime. She meditated with Starfire and helped Cyborg work on the T-Car. Everything was without distraction. She sat up watching bad tv until she was tired then went to bed, and in the morning she woke up feeling refreshed, ready to do the whole thing all over again. The days were a steady influx of comfort, excitement and predictability. Lather, rinse, repeat. At long last, she was cured.

xxxxxx

But of course she wasn't cured. It simply took her a few days to fully realize it. The first hint came on Saturday, during the team's scheduled movie night. Robin had dug up and irreverent comic gem from the 80s. The plot was ludicrous and the humor was broad, but Raven didn't mind. She didn't usually. On this night however, something was different. As the farcical insanity rolled on, bringing forth great belly laughs to the mouths of her teammates, more and more Raven started to feel unwell. She began to feel a sharp pain in her temples. It came in spurts, starting out dull and manageable, fading away only to then come racing back stronger than before. For the first forty five minutes of the film she attempted to hide her discomfort. Eventually she realized her pains seemed to be falling in time with team's laughter. Beast Boy's manic giggle in particular seemed to cut through her like a rusty chainsaw. With every raspy, high-pitched chortle and guffaw, the pain in her head intensified until finally things became just too great to bear, so she simply excused herself and went to her room. She took an aspirin, shut the curtains by her bed and fell asleep.

The next day she woke up feeling better. The pain was gone and she felt good. She arrived to a mostly empty common room, Robin being the only occupant (he was the only other team member who routinely woke up as early as her). The masked man greeted her warmly and she responded in kind. She then went to the kitchen and began preparing her usual tea and cereal. She set the kettle on the stove and retrieved the box of cornflakes from the cabinet. Then the common room doors swished open.

"How's it goin' err'body?" came a high, squeaky voice.

Horrible shooting pain erupted without warning in Raven's head as Beast Boy's morning call split her skull like a battle-ax. The cereal box in her hand turned black and erupted like a volcano, sending a shower of corn flakes soaring into the air. Clenching the now tattered box in her hands, Raven's stood wide eyed and motionless for several moments as the room's other occupants looked on in equal surprise. With a collection of errant cornflakes clinging to her hair she turned to them. Her face burned with embarrassment, as she swiftly made her exit, racing out of the room like a bat out of hell. She passed by Starfire in the hall but didn't stop to say hello, simply kept flying until she was back at her bedroom.

Throwing herself against her door, she slid down until her butt hit the carpet. She looked at her hands in disbelief. Just what in the hell was that? It had been years since she'd been surprised enough to explode something and yet somehow Beast Boy simply coming in and giving his usual morning greeting was enough to send her powers soaring over the edge. And then there was the pain. The same pain she felt last night. Already it had subsided, but what made it come rushing back like that?

Although her head no longer hurt, she went to her medicine chest and got another aspirin just to be on the safe side. She downed it dry and for several moments she simply stood staring at herself in the bathroom mirror.

For the next several hours she decided to lay low. Ignoring her hunger she kept to her bedroom, busying herself with reading, meditating and practicing rudimentary spells. At one point Starfire came looking for her, bringing with her a corn muffin and a glass of orange juice which Raven gladly accepted. Though Raven refused to reveal what was wrong, the orange girl nevertheless stayed by her side. The two of them did some tai chi and finally Raven started to feel at ease.

It was a little after lunch time, around one o'clock, when Raven decided it was time she ventured back out into the tower. Centered once more, calm, cool and collected, she made her way down the hallway towards the common room. She was nearly there with she crossed paths with Beast Boy heading in the opposite direction with a dinner plate in hand.

"Hey Rave," he called.

"Beast Boy," she answered with a nod.

He smiled as he said, "I was just coming to see you. I didn't want you to miss out on lunch, so I snagged you a piece of the pie." He then offered her the plate where two fat slices of cheese pizza sat, bubbling and steaming, bathing in a mouthwatering puddle of their own grease.

Just the sight of those gorgeous slices made Raven's belly roar with approval. "Thank you," she said, her eyes fixated on the plate. "I really appreciate-"

Raven looked up just as Beast Boy handed her the plate. Their eyes met and he quickly gave with one of his trademark toothy grins.

"I appreciate..." Raven tried once again to finish her sentence but surprisingly realized she couldn't. For some reason she found herself captivated by Beast Boy's teeth. The way they were shaped, their color. The way they lined his mouth. Short, fat and white... And suddenly all she could think of at that moment, the only thing that dominated her thoughts, was how much they reminded her of maggots. In a flash it was as if the green boy had a mouthful of them. All bloated and slimy, trying desperately to wriggle their way out. Squirming over his lips, leaving shiny, glistening trails down his chin and along his cheeks, every movement the little buggers made brought with it a juicy, popping or smacking sound. Raven's stomach churned with the image. Her salivary glands filled as her throat tightened. Her eyelids sank and she suddenly became very dizzy.

Beast Boy barely had time to ask if she was alright before she was shoving the plate back into his hands and pushing her way past him, holding her hand over her mouth and racing for the communal bathroom. Only by blasting the door off the hinges did she make it in time. Hugging the bowl like an old friend, for several minutes she prayed to the porcelain god. Dropping to her knees she sang the morning after psalm. With a spirited Huuaaghh-lelujah she emptied the contents of her stomach, painting the bowl in various shades of orange and yellow until at long last she was saved.

Flushing her stained glass portrait down the drain, she sat back and leaned against the bathroom stall. Tearing a piece of toilet paper from the roll she wiped her mouth. Her stomach was calm once more but now her brain hurt worse than ever. What the hell was happening to her? She was undoubtedly feeling ill and yet, it was all so strange the way the symptoms seemed to come and go, almost as if they were being triggered by something.

"Uhhh Raven?" Beast Boy's voice came floating into the bathroom from the hallway. There was no longer a door to knock on so instead he simply stood on the other side of the wall and called to her. "You okay in there?"

"I'm fine," replied Raven bitterly as the pain in her temples began once more. "Go away."

"Do you need me to get anything for you? Like a glass of water or something?"

Raven groaned. That voice. That raspy, nasaly, squeaking...Every word was like a smoke detector going off in her head. "I said I'm fine," she spat.

"So uh, you probably don't want this pizza right now. I'll just put it in the fridge for you, okay?"

Ice picks in her brain. Rabid weasels gnawing at her frontal lobe. "Whatever, just go."

Things were quiet for a beat and then, "...Are you sure you're alright?"

Frustration and anger welled up in Raven's body, quickly replacing any lingering sickness. This was just so like him. He never knew when to quit. How many times did she have to tell him to leave her alone before he finally did it? He was always doing this. Always bugging her. Always driving her crazy. He was like a swarm of mayflies, just constantly getting in her face, never letting her have any peace. Why couldn't he just leave her alone. She wasn't sure when it happened, but quick as a whip she suddenly found herself in the doorway, bearing down on him.

"What is wrong with you? Why can't you ever take the hint? I don't **need** your help. In fact I don't want you anywhere near me. Your a pain, a nuisance. You're a little green boil on the ass of the world." Raven hardly even realized it, but there was a darkness creeping into her voice. Her register became low and menacing as her mass increased. Soon she was towering over the green boy. Her teeth turned to needles. Her eyes licked and spat with hellish red flames. "I can't stand you. Everything about you is irritating. You're a waste of space, a waste of life. You're a constant reminder of the failures of the human race. I HATE YOU!"

As soon as the words left her mouth, it was as if someone had thrown cold water on her. In a snap the flames in her eyes extinguished and her stature returned to normal. At the same time Beast Boy's ears drooped. His shoulders slumped and his mouth turned down. "Sorry," he said quietly, his voice dripping with sorrow. "I didn't mean to bother you." He then turned and began heading the opposite direction back towards the common room.

Beast Boy's sadness hit Raven like a shot. She struggled to speak, to say anything that might heal the wounds she had created, but nothing came out. She simply stood there and watched as the despondent green boy slowly sulked his way around the corner and disappeared from sight. Overwhelmed and now incredibly fearful of her own actions, Raven quickly headed back for her room. As she arrived her mind raced, struggling to piece together what had just happened. It wasn't right. This whole thing just wasn't right. She didn't believe any of the things she'd said, and yet they came pouring out of her mouth so freely, like they'd been planned. It was as if something else were controlling her, feeding her these horrible thoughts, forcing them to the forefront of her mind.

Something in her head.

There was something wrong with her head.

xxxxxx

Being born half demon made Raven very susceptible to evil thoughts. This meant her anger needed a very specific kind of control. Raven's anger was not like a normal human's. Her's was a special Rage that made her a danger if she did not take specific precautions to make sure it was kept in check. Fortunately, over time, with years of meditative practice and the help of her mirror she had gotten very good at this. Unfortunately, emotions can still be very unpredictable forces.

Rage's realm was where she kept her deepest and most darkest thoughts. It was a scorched landscape full of dead trees and dried grass. Great dust storms kicked up at random. Fires burned out of control and clouds of grey smoke choked the sky. Navigating her way through a maze of blackened oaks, Raven ventured without pause through Rage's realm. Past the blackened chasms and boiling lakes she went until at long last she came to a cave in the center of a clearing, deep in the heart of the desiccated forest. A massive structure made of haphazardly placed stones and boulders, it yawned wide and menacing before her, a gaping mouth leading to a dark and pitiless void. She came to rest a few yards away from the entrance. She always hated doing this, but she had to be sure. She had to make certain that Rage was still under control. So, swallowing her nervousness, she stood by the cave and waited. And waited. And waited. She was starting to fear the worst when from deep within the cave there suddenly came a low growl like that of a mountain lion. Struggling to peer through the darkness, she continued to watch. Soon there came patter of rapid footfalls. A flash of red pierced the darkness of the cave as Rage came roaring out.

Rage was Raven in her darkest form. While initially appearing as simply a duplicate of herself wearing a dark red cloak, over the years her appearance had mutated into something almost completely alien. Only vaguely now did she look like the woman she was meant to represent. Her grey skin had become a hellish red. Her well combed violet hair had turned white and now fell in a mess of gnarls and tangles to her shoulders. Her teeth were like daggers and her nails had grown long and black like claws. Her features where pointed and angular, making her appear more beast-like than human. She was a dark and terrifying reminder of Raven's roots, and unfortunately a tragic necessity.

Rage's razor sharp teeth gnashed wildly she lunged at Raven. The ripped and tattered remains of what was once her cloak billowed out behind her, clinging to her neck as she ran. Closer and closer she got. She opened her jaws wide and with a manic roar she lunged. It was then that the chains around her wrists tightened. The big, iron links reached their limit. The locks held and suddenly she was halted, just inches from Raven's face.

For several seconds Rage struggled against her bonds. She snapped and growled. Her arms, what little she could move them, strained to reach out and wrap themselves around Raven. Her black claws swiped awkwardly at the air, trying desperately to tear her to pieces. Finally reaching exhaustion, Rage's attack slowed. Her long white hair hung in her face as she slowly retreated back several paces, back to the mouth of her layer. Getting low to the ground, she rested on her haunches like an animal. It was only then did she speak.

"You'll have to forgive me," she said, her voice coated with an odd, animalistic hiss. "I don't get to entertain guests very often. I guess I got a little...excited."

What was truly terrifying about Rage was that, out of all her emotions, somehow she was the one that had acquired the most sentience. Initially she was just a whirlwind of teeth and anger, but time spent in captivity had taught her how to play nice. How to bide her time and watch for signs of weakness. It was exactly what made her so dangerous.

"There's no apologizing for you," answered Raven coldly.

The manifestation smirked. It bared it's teeth and a small trickle of saliva dripped from it's jaws down to the ground. "And to what pleasure do I owe this surprise visit?"

"Don't get cheeky. You know why I'm here. I only wanted to make certain you were still under control."

"And am I?"

"It would appear so."

"You sound disappointed."

Truthfully she was. If somehow her Rage had managed to escape she would at least know how to deal with that. And yet, here she was exactly where she was supposed to be. That meant that whatever was causing her distress was still out there.

Raven's thoughts were interrupted by the always unnerving sound of Rage's laughter.

"What's so funny?"

"Oh nothing. So now that you know I didn't cause your little temper tantrum with the filthy, green simpleton, I guess that means you'll be leaving now, right?"

"What are you getting at?"

Rage grinned. "I really shouldn't tell you. But at this point I'm not sure you'll even be able to stop it. You're always so quick to blame me for everything. Oh it's not me. It's my RAGE. Not me. Never me. If only I could get my RAGE under control."

"What are you talking about?"

Rage chuckled again. Moving on all fours, she made her way along the ground to a pile of very human looking bones. "There is something here," she said, tossing aside a few femurs. and knocking over a cracked rib cage. "Something new."

"New?"

"Hideous and wonderful. And strong. So very, very strong," replied Rage. She gnawed on what looked like a clavicle in between sentences. "I have seen it. Moving through the realms. A creature not of your creation." She chuckled wickedly. "But then again...maybe it is. Just what exactly have you been up to?"

Raven didn't answer. She only turned and walked away, leaving Rage to simply laugh and retreat back into her cave. Though she hated to admit it. She now believed she knew what was wrong.

xxxxxx

A rather discomforting image awaited Raven as she arrived at the entrance to Passion's domain. The solid oak doors were in disarray. The splintered wood and the loose door handles heavily suggested forced entry. Most alarmingly she found what appeared to be a putrid sludge dripping from the broken doorhandles. A sort of dark salmon colored slime, sticky like honey, but with the gritty texture of mud. It poured in slow-motion from the handles, stretching in a long mucus-y tendril to the floor where it formed a sloppily coiled pile. Avoiding the sludge and using her cloak like a glove she pushed the doors open to the gallery. The air inside was gag inducing. The atmosphere felt heavy and wet like an attic that hadn't been cleaned. The art exhibits themselves, while still very much intact, seemed less vibrant than they were before. The colors in the portraits had dimmed. The statues all possessed chips and fractures and everything was coated with a thin layer of dust. Along the floor she found traces of the strange muck in the form of little smears and piles. Rage was right. There was indeed something terrible here.

Treading carefully, she followed the trails down the hall until she reached the door to the Beast Boy wing. Much like the main entrance she found the door locks broken and muck on the handles. Swallowing nervously she pushed her way inside only to find utter destruction waiting for her. Whatever had forced its way in had laid waste to the exhibit. Every piece of art had been defaced or vandalized in someway. Portraits had been torn and scattered. Sculptures lay smashed and broken on their sides. Busts were beheaded. A collection of stained glass figurines had been shattered to dust. The massive marble statue, the most recent work to Raven's knowledge, had been reduced to nothing more than half a torso balanced precariously on one wobbly leg. And scattered everywhere, staining the walls and floor were more streaks and piles of the strange filth.

As Raven continued to survey the carnage, she soon became aware of slow movement coming from the corner of the room. Treading lightly she approached as, from beneath the torn canvas of a massive portrait that had previously hung high and mighty on the wall, emerged Passion. Her hair was a mess. Her violet smock was a tattered shadow of its former self. Her eyes were red and her cheeks were stained with tears.

"It's gone," breathed the little emotion weakly. "It's all gone."

"What happened?" asked Raven, showing concern.

"I can't get through to it. It won't let me build. Everything I create, it destroys."

"Who? Who did this?"

Passion's gaze met Raven's. "Something horrible," she murmured. It was then that Passion's eyes opened wide with primal terror. For a split second her body tightened and then all at once she vanished in a flash of light and puff of smoke. For a moment Raven was confused. Then she heard it. A low, guttural growl, ending in an ominous hiss. Coming from right behind her.

_What a great idea._


	5. Chapter 4

A nervous swallow trapped Raven's breath in her throat as a wet spray of hot, sticky air landed on the back of her neck. Her eyes went wide and her body tightened as she turned. The creature before her was unlike anything she had ever seen before, either in or out of her mind. It stood beast-like on all fours an incredible ten feet tall. Its head seemed weirdly too big for it's body and from cheek to cheek it was a good five feet of grey, scaly flesh. Its eyes were like dinner platters, sickening milky white spheres resting at the base of a long crocodile snout and peeking out from beneath a forrest of dark purple tendrils which sat atop its head like hair. Its body was long and black. Each of its gnarled toes housed a long, sickle-like claw. The creature burned Raven with its gaze as it coyly slid its fat, worm-like tail back and forth along the museum floor, swishing away piles of debris and knocking over several unturned easels. It arched its back like a cat and shot a wave of disgusting smelling air through its cavernous nostrils as it rose. It growled and a large gob of salmon colored sludge dripped from its maw and landed in a pile on the floor. Standing up almost on its hind legs, the beast let out a soul shattering roar that shook not only the walls of the museum, but the very boundaries of Raven's mind.

With serpent like speed the creature struck. Its massive jaws sought out Raven's flesh with all the voracity of a starving dog. It was only by a stroke of luck that Raven was able to conjure up a protective energy dome around herself in time. The creature gnashed and scratched against the black shield as it struggled in vain to get at the empath within. It hissed and lunged once more. The shield held, but this time the attack left several large cracks along the surface. The creature reared back and struck again and this time made it through. Thinking quickly, Raven teleported to safety. She reappeared at the creature's back as it briefly struggled to make sense of her disappearance. It was clever though and quickly found her. Fear gripped Raven's insides as the creature once again came at her. Leaving the ground she flew backwards as it lunged, snapping its jaws and making several wild swipes with it's claws. Once more, it was only by the skin of her teeth that she managed to avoid its grasp.

Again and again, Raven somehow managed to keep herself out of the creature's wildly snapping jaws. Through flying, teleporting and good old fashioned dodging, she avoided every attack. She desperately sought an opening, a chance to strike back, but the creature was relentless. No quarter was given. All she could do was try and put as much distance between them as possible.

She went for the exit, but the monster cut her off. It made a wild swipe with its claws and she stumbled to avoid the blow. Tumbling, falling onto her back, she threw up another energy barrier, this time making sure to triple its thickness. Bitting and scratching at the barrier, the beast struggled to get through. The barrier was holding but not for much longer. Raven could feel it. She was tiring and with each bite, scratch and pound, the structure was losing integrity. Retreat was her only option. She needed to get out of there.

Increasing the strength of the barrier the best she could, she got into lotus position. Ignoring the fear surging inside her she did her best to find her center. She closed her eyes and steadied her breathing, did whatever she could to block out all outside distractions. Seconds passed and she could feel the world around her slowly start to dissipate. She was almost through. She only needed to last a little longer. The barrier cracked. Large chunks of the black shield broke off and vanished, but still she kept her breathing steady. Almost there. Finally with one last thunderous strike, the shield broke...

xxxxxx

Raven's eyes shot open. Her breath came to her in short rapid gasps. She grasped the railing of her bed with one hand and struggled to steady herself as she gripped her magic hand mirror tightly with the other. It took her a few moments but soon her thoughts began to slow. Her surroundings came into focus and she knew where she was. Body and mind were separate entities once more. For a moment she looked into her hand mirror and simply observed her reflection. She looked terrible and she felt worse. What had she done to herself? The thought of that monster inside her, tearing away pieces of her personality like fried chicken skin, it made her nauseous. This was not what she wanted. She needed to fix this. Someone needed to fix this. Brow furrowing in total determination she put her hand mirror back on the bureau and headed for the door.

xxxxxx

Raven arrived at Calebog's in no mood for games. Unfortunately, as soon as she set foot through the inter-dimensional doorway she had a big eared junk peddler shoving a jar of fairy wings in her face, asking that she 'buy it.' She tried to be polite but it was only after she "persuaded" the peddler to swallow the jar's entire contents in one gulp, that the rest of the merchants granted her the space she desired. She left the cost of the wings sitting on his table and then proceeded on her way.

Recalling the location of Madame Yvonne's store, Raven made her way speedily through the market. She may have followed the looking glass last time, but she had been sure to observe her surroundings and make mental notes of where she was heading. It took some doing but in the end her memory did not fail her. She arrived at her destination. The tent looked exactly how she remembered it. Flat, drab and unassuming. Taking a deep breath, steadying her resolve, she lifted the flap and made her way inside. Heartbreak was the only thing that greeted her, however. The store was empty. More than just empty, the place had been gutted. The shelves and display cases had all vanished with their contents in tow. Gone were the wonders. Gone were the mediocrities. Gone was the mysterious shop owner who had promised her salvation.

Hoping it was another visual trick, Raven walked out into the middle of the store. Several times she turned, each time hoping that this would be the one that would cause the store to reveal itself much in the same way it had before, but every 180 she pulled only served to make her more dizzy. She growled in frustration, and then despondent fell to her knees. It was no use. What would she do now?

She was busy fighting back frustrated tears when the sound of fluttering wings caught her attention. Whirling around she spotted the familiar image of the looking glass as it hovered behind her, its white dove-like wings keeping it magically suspended in the air. It said nothing only turned and quickly zipped out of the tent.

"Hey, wait!" called Raven. Jumping from her knees directly into the air, she raced after it. "Come back!"

Much like last time the looking glass led Raven back through the center of town, in and around a series of corridors. This time its destination brought her to a secluded section of the market and a small nondescript building in the heart of an out-of-the-way back ally. There were no signs and the door was nothing more than a worn and weathered piece of wood work with iron hinges. She watched as the looking glass disappeared beneath the door's feet. Wasting no time, she reached for the cast iron handle and let herself in. The door opened with a creak, and to her relief, the store she remembered from last time was inside waiting for her. All the wonders were back in place, exactly where she remembered, including the shop's mysterious owner. At the back of the store, facing away from Raven, stood Miss Yvonne.

"Welcome back, my little moon beam," cooed the green haired woman as she finished tying what appeared to be a purple and black apron around her slender hips.

Like a loyal pet, the looking glass flew directly into Madame Yvonne's hand. She held it with an outstretched arm and smiled as she gazed into it's surface. Raven was about to speak when she noticed something unusual. She suddenly felt as if there were eyes upon her. Her glance fell to a large vanity mirror hung on the far wall, just above a glass countertop, and instantly she knew why. There in the mirror's smooth surface sat Madame Yvonne's familiar visage, standing tall and ominous like the way you think of gods. This was the other half of the looking glass, she figured, the gateway through which the light of the outside world traveled. This was what allowed her to study and observe without ever having to leave the comfort of her shop. The sight of such an oversized gaze made Raven feel very unnerved. Something was different. She couldn't quite say what, but the woman's eyes no longer held the playfulness that made her so initially disarming.

"It's so nice to see you again," said the reflection after a beat. Setting down the mirror on the counter, the shop owner ducked her head inside of what looked like an ordinary convention oven. Retrieving a sliver colored baking sheet full of what appeared to be chocolate chip cookies from the middle rack, she finally turned and met Raven with her own gaze. "I take the potion was to your liking."

"Not exactly," replied Raven, bitterly. Steadying her resolve and letting the door slam shut behind her, she fully entered the store.

"Aw, what's wrong? Here, why don't you sit down, have a cookie and tell me all about it."

"Your stupid potion poisoned me."

The mysterious woman chuckled as she slowly began moving cookies from pan to plate with her spatula. "My dear child, I gave you exactly what you asked for. You wanted me to solve your love problem and I did.

"It turned all my love into hate."

"Rae-Rae, I _told_ you. It's an _anti_-love potion. What did you think was going to happen?"

"I wanted to not be in love with Beast Boy, but that doesn't mean I wanted to stop liking him."

With her plate now full of cookies, Madame Yvonne approached Raven. "You should know better than anyone, dearie, how powerful emotions are. You can't simply _make_ them disappear. You need to do _something_ with all that energy, and there's always been a thin line between love and hate. You see? It all makes sense. Now here, have a cookie. It'll make you feel better." She held the plate out so that the steam rising off the cookies landed just under Raven's nose.

Raven, however, was not having it. Tired of the whole situation and incensed at Madame Yvonne's indifferent response to her problem, she slapped the plate out of the shopkeeper's hand, sending it clattering to the floor along with the dozen or so cookies. The impact left everything cracked and crumbled. "I don't want any of your damn cookies," she snapped.

Seeing the ruination of her work, Madame Yvonne's smile slowly faded. Her mouth twisted into a scowl. Her lips pulled tight against her teeth and her eyes narrowed. "How dare you," she hissed.

Unintimidated by the new anger, Raven stood her ground. "I want a new potion," she said sharply. "I want you to fix what you've done and put my emotions back the way they were."

Still focusing on the mess, Madame Yvonne clenched her fists. "How _dare_ you," she said again, this time louder than before.

"Did you hear what I said?" shot Raven.

At long last Madame Yvonne's eyes met Raven's. "You little brat," she sneered. "After all I've done for you, _this_ is the thanks I get? You ill-mannered, selfish ungrateful little whippersnapper. Your a naughty girl Rae-Rae, a verrrry naughty, little girl."

Throughout Madame Yvonne's tirade something within her began to change. With every word she spoke, the smooth velvety youth of her voice faded, becoming craggily and harsh. Her light green skin tone darkened and the tiger stripes on her face melted away like candle wax. She began rapidly aging. Every passing second seemed to add ten years to her appearance. Age lines sprang up along her cheeks and in the corners of her eyes like cracks on a frozen pond. Her small dainty nose grew long and crooked. Her finely kept eyebrows became thick and bushy. Her body was changing too. In a heartbeat she began swelling up like a balloon. Her stomach and hips grew rapidly outward, and yet her dress didn't tear. Instead it grew with her, conforming to her new body shape like a second skin. Her long limbs pulled into her torso becoming half their original length. Her hair, now varying shades of gray and white, seemed to take on a life of it's own as it rose up in thick strands. Arcing in the air, it formed a bee hive on the top of her head. It stayed that way for but a moment before splitting like an egg, revealing a puffy black and purple matrons hat. Finally, in one final discomforting display, a third eye cracked open in the center of her forehead.

It was all a ruse. The whole thing. Ever since the beginning. Madame Yvonne had been a smoke screen, a shadow, a figment of a warped imagination. In a matter of seconds the shop's eccentric owner had vanished, retreating back into the twisted mind of the vial witch that had wrought her. No one had seen her in years, but assuming her to be gone forever had at this moment proved to be a critical mistake. She was a psychic vampire, a vial demon obsessed with love who used her powers to twist the minds of her victims so that she could drain them of their essence.

The dumbfounded expression on Raven's face caused the newly revealed Mother Mae-Eye immeasurable joy. "Awww, what's the matter, Rae-Rae?" she teased in between cackles. "Don't tell me you've forgotten all about your dear, sweet mother."

"You did this?" gasped Raven, finally getting over her shock enough to speak.

"Of course, dearie. A mother never forgets about her children. No matter how spoiled and nasty they are."

Another round of wicked cackles came erupting out of Mother Mae-Eye's twisted lips. Her laughter ceased, however, when a massive, bird like claw erupted out of the floor in front of her. Striking like lightning, it seized her at the base of her color bone, driving her towards the back of the shop. She let out a pained wheeze as she collided hard with a book case. The sheer force of the blow caused several totems and tinctures to fall from their respective places and shatter against the hard wood floor.

With her arm outstretched, mirroring the position of the claw, Raven let out a terrifying growl. "Fix it!" she hissed. "Fix it now!"

Despite the violent display and Raven's terrifying demeanor, Mother Mae-Eye remained unflappable. "Now, now," she tutted. "No rough-housing." With a simple gesture, her magic wand appeared. Although in the shape of an ordinary wooden spoon, it nevertheless proved it's uniqueness by glowing with an eerie, pink energy. With a wave of her wand a quintet of kitchen knives magically appeared at her side. A simple thrust in Raven's direction sent the objects shooting towards her, forcing her to conjure an energy shield to protect herself. Following up on her initial attack, Mother Mae-Eye summoned an oversized purse with her other hand and swung it hard. The bag hit like a cannon ball. It broke the air with an audible whupping sound and collided hard with Raven's side, sending her careening through the air, only to have a small display table break her fall.

Holding her head, Raven picked herself up off the floor as Mother Mae-Eye let out another unsavory cackle. "You brought this all on yourself, Rae-Rae," the old woman crowed. "All mother wanted was for you to love her, but you had to go and be a big, stinky, meanie-poo. Well, you ungrateful little brat, if you won't love mother than you won't love anyone ever again. My poison will keep eating away at you. It'll rip and tear at your insides, pull out every last bit of positive emotion you have and replace it with hatred and disgust. All those wonderful feelings you have for your friends and loved ones will be gone. And you'll be all alone. With no one to turn to...except dear, old mother."

A multitude of feelings ran through Raven's body. She was tired, frustrated, embarrassed. She was angry at Mother Mae-Eye for her treachery, but even more than that she was angry at herself. Deep down in her gut she knew she was the one who allowed all this to happen. She had willingly gone against her better judgement. The wicked old crone may have given her the tools, but it was she herself who chose to use them. However, though Raven knew she herself was the one to blame, she wasn't going to beat herself up over it. At least not while she had Mother Mae-Eye in her crosshairs.

Gritting her teeth, Raven's eyes grew white with power. Black lightning hissed and crackled from her form as her soul-self braced itself for battle. In a sudden display of power the floorboards beneath Mother Mae-Eye's feet began to rock and shift. Whips of black energy snapped up from between the cracks as the wood began to twist and shatter, throwing the wicked old woman off balance. With her opponent distracted, Raven attacked. Cutting through the air like a bullet, she extended her leg and delivered a powerful flying kick straight to the ugly matron's black heart. Mother Mae-Eye announced it's damaging effects with a loud 'ooof' as the sheer force of the blow caused her feet to leave the ground and the entirety of her body to once again go crashing back into the bookcase. The witch was wounded and down on her hands and knees, but Raven's attack refused to cease. Raising her hands, she encapsulated the bookcase in a black energy aura, and with one swooping gesture brought the structure crashing down on the woman's head. For a moment there was no movement. Silence filled the room. Then a dark and wicked howl, erupted from beneath the fallen structure. From beneath the mess of wood and paper came a furious Mother Mae-Eye. Tripling her size, becoming nearly nine feet tall, the wicked witch showed her new found strength by hefting the splintered remains of the book case high above her head. She let out a wicked shriek and hurled the massive structure in Raven's direction. Conjuring her powers, Raven phased through the attack and the bookcase smashed harmlessly against a display at the front of the shop. Mother Mae-Eye would not relent however. Once again she took hold of her purse.

"Naughty girl," she roared. "Naughty, naughty, naughty! Momma spank!" Swinging her purse like a morning star, she went on the offensive. The massive purple and black bag shattered wood and glass as Raven managed to dodge blow after blow. The damage to the store barely even registered with the old woman. She seemed to be in a blood frenzy. She cared nothing for the destruction being wrought, for all the glass delicates and priceless artifacts being crushed underfoot. Raven's complete annihilation was all that mattered. Forcing Raven into a corner she seemed poised to deliver the final blow. However, the young sorceress was far from out. Sensing the oncoming attack, she raised her hands. Calling forth her powers, she summoned a razor thin blade of energy. Swinging with precision, she cut the strap of Mother Mae-Eye's purse just before the swing, causing the bag to go hurdling off in the opposite direction where it collided with a carefully stacked bottle display. Raising her hands again, Raven grabbed the ruffles of Mother Mae-Eye's hat with her powers and yanked the fabric down over all three of the witch's eyes. She then took hold of the remains of a five foot long glass display case. Ripping the heavy structure from the floor she sent it careening hard into the side of the witch's jaw, sending her busting nearly through the wall on the far side of the shop.

Pulling herself out of the debris, Mother Mae-Eye grumbled in frustration. "Filthy jackanapes," she grumbled. "Disobedient children need more vegetables in their diet." She waved her wand. A collection of pink, glowing dust settled in the air and then with three loud pops there came into existence three mansized broccoli stalks, each one complete with wicked yellow eyes and snapping jaws. The magically conjured beasts growled as they wriggled their newly found claws and scampered across the floor on their freshly birthed legs. They leapt at Raven, swiping and snarling, forcing her on the defensive. She ducked in and around several attacks before finally striking back. With a wave of her hand another burst of razor edged energy shot forth, decapitating one of the beasts. Another seized hold of her arms, attempting to hold her for the other's attack. A pair of black energy claws shot forth from beneath Raven's hood, piercing the oncoming attacker and ripping him in two. Raven cut her captor off at the elbows with another razor strike before completely encapsulating the beast in energy and squashing it to a fine pulp with a simple flick of her wrist.

Raven could sense the imminent attack from Mother Mae-Eye before it happened, but wasn't quite fast enough to fully stop it. She attempted an energy shield but the blow easily pierced her hastily made defenses and collided hard with her jaw, sending her spiraling through the air before crashing to a hard glass and wood speckled floor. Tapping a baseball bat-sized carrot against her palm, Mother Mae-Eye giggled with glee. The carrot then vanished and waving her magic wand a jar of apricot preserves the size of a jukebox appeared over Raven's prone body only to then come racing down. Somehow, Raven was able to clear her head in time to phase through the floor and avoid the crushing blow. Traveling through the floorboards she moved to Mother Mae-Eye's blind side. Her attempt to get the drop on the witch, however, was unsuccessful. The old crone anticipated the attack. Spinning on her heels, she conjured a pair of anaconda-like hair ribbons into existence and sent them slithering through the air in Raven's direction. Ducking and dodging, Raven managed to avoid their pink, satin-y grasp, even as Mother Mae-Eye moved in to make a few swipes of her own with her wand. Gripping the wand firmly, the witch began firing long pink beams of light from the spoon's basin. Several of the shots grazed her, but otherwise Raven remained untouched. Frustrated, Mother Mae-Eye upped her attack. Plates and cups and bowls came pouring into existence through several small portals. Rolling pins and toasters followed and soon the whole store was a tornado of crockery and kitchen appliances. Raven did her best to avoid the attacks, but eventually a stray rolling pin caught her in the center of the back and she was downed.

Looming over the fallen Raven, Mother Mae-Eye readied her wand. "I tried to show patience with you, Rae-Rae," she sneered. "But if you insist on making such a fuss then maybe I'll just gobble you up right now."

Pain wracked Raven's body as she crawled along the floor, looking for some kind of escape, some kind of chance to launch a counterattack. She could sense the final blow coming. She needed to do something to stop it. It was then, on the other side of the store she spotted it. In all the fighting she was amazed it had survived, but there it was, the looking glass, resting against a pile of debris, looking a little dusty but otherwise no worse for wear.

"Time for your just desserts, Rae-Rae," shrieked Mother Mae-Eye, taking aim with her wand.

Rolling out of the way, Raven narrowly avoided the blast. Throwing out her arm, she seized hold of the mirror with her energy. In a heartbeat it raced towards her, right into her outstretched hand. She would potentially only have one shot at this. She had to make it count. If she could only angle it just right...

The second blast came roaring out of the witch's wand and headed straight for Raven's heart just as Raven threw the mirror up in front of her. The narrow beam of light vanished into the glass, only to then come racing out of the vanity mirror at the back of the store. Mother Mae-Eye only had time enough to realize her mistake before the energy swiftly connected with the small of her back, instantly surrounding her in a haze of pink light. Her plump body, twisted and contorted for a few moments before a puff of pink smoke erupted from nowhere, swallowing her image.

As the smoke cleared, Raven slowly climbed to her feet. She had just righted herself when the last of it dissipated. Mother Mae-Eye was no longer anywhere to be seen. The old woman was gone. All that remained now was a somewhat bewildered looking six-inch-high gingerbread girl. Trying to find new balance on her little cookie legs, she took a moment to study her new surroundings. The spoon shaped wand had clattered to the floor during the transformation. Seeing this she attempted to retrieve it only for Raven to scoop it up first. Holding the wand tight in her hand, the violet haired sorceress glared down at the helpless little baked good before summoning her powers and breaking the instrument to pieces. Frightened by the display of power the cookie attempted to run, run, run as fast as she could. Unfortunately for her there was no escape. Calling forth her powers once more, Raven easily seized hold of the cookie girl, levitating her through the air until she was eye level.

"Uhh...truce?" said the little cookie, with a barely audible squeak.

Raven's glare spoke volumes as she stared hard into the cookie girl's chocolate chip eyes. "Tell me how to reverse the spell," she threatened.

Vanilla icing poured down the cookie girl's temple's like sweat. "I-I-I don't know how," she babbled. "It was never meant to have an antidote."

"You made it. You can unmake it."

"I would if I could, but it's irreversible. The ingredients I used were too powerful. There's nothing known to magic that can cancel them out."

"You're lying."

"No, I swear. The only way to get the poison out of your system now is to drive it out."

"Drive it out?"

"It's like a tumor. It'll keep growing so long as it's inside you. But there's a spiritual element to it too. It's not enough to remove the poison from your body. You need to purge its essence completely other wise it'll just regrow."

"So how do I get rid of it?"

Little streams of chocolate syrup poured down the cookie's cheeks. "I don't know," she sobbed. "Please, you have to believe me. You'll just have to find it out for yourself."

The cookie girl's panic deepened as it began hovering closer and closer to Raven's ever glowing eyes. "You better hope I do," the violet-haired sorceress hissed. "Or tonight I'll be having a spice of gingerbread to my tea."


End file.
